Usher, a senior at Cedar Rapids Prairie, would be tempted to skip college and play pro baseball if he's selected high enough in the major league draft this June and likes the offer.

"I would be very tempted," he told the Metro Sports Report Sunday evening. "It's something my parents and I have talked about. I think I'm ready for it.

"We'll see how the spring goes and how I play."

Usher is a fleet center fielder who hit .468 with seven homers, 34 RBIs and 37 stolen bases for Prairie last season as a junior. He's ranked as the No. 2 high school prospect in Iowa by Perfect Game USA and the 82nd best high school player in the country.

If he goes high enough in the draft and is offered a lucrative signing bonus, he'll head straight to the minor leagues. If the draft does not turn out the way he wants, he'll head to Kirkwood and play for the Eagles in 2019.
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administrator@metrosportsreport.com (Jim Ecker)Prairie HomeMon, 05 Feb 2018 12:19:20 +0000Xavier is host site for Metro tourneyhttp://www.metrosportsreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36958:xavier-is-host-site-for-metro-tourney&catid=211:prairie-home&Itemid=57
http://www.metrosportsreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36958:xavier-is-host-site-for-metro-tourney&catid=211:prairie-home&Itemid=57Xavier is one of two host sites for the 48th annual Bob Vrbicek Metro Tournament, which kicks off the high school baseball season for the Saints, the other six schools in the Cedar Rapids Metro and Mount Vernon.

Xavier Coach Bob Cataldo's team, which finished last season at 12-23-1, will host Marion at 7 p.m. on Monday, following the 5 p.m. contest between Jefferson and Washington at Ken Charipar Field.

Prairie is the other host site. Coach Todd Rima's Hawks, the defending Class 4A state champions, face a tough opener against traditional power Kennedy at 7 p.m. following a 4:30 p.m. contest between Mount Vernon and Linn-Mar.

Semifinal and consolation round games are set for Tuesday. The championship and third-place games will be Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Stadium with the fifth and seventh-place games to be played at Xavier.
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]]>administrator@metrosportsreport.com (Metro Sports Report)Prairie HomeFri, 28 Apr 2017 11:04:57 +0000Brrr ... Diebold lifts Saints by Hawkshttp://www.metrosportsreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36742:brrr-diebold-lifts-saints-by-hawks&catid=211:prairie-home&Itemid=57
http://www.metrosportsreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36742:brrr-diebold-lifts-saints-by-hawks&catid=211:prairie-home&Itemid=57When the wind-chill temperature dips into the mid-40's and there's a frigid gale whipping across the field, the last thing anyone wants is a soccer match that goes into overtime.

Paige Diebold spared all the fans who brought their winter coats, stocking caps and blankets to John Wall Field Thursday night when she scored the only goal as Xavier blanked Prairie, 1-0, in a Mississippi Valley Conference match.

Diebold connected from about 30 yards with 29 minutes, 17 seconds left in the second half when she lofted a shot that eluded the Prairie goal-keeper and nestled softly into the back of the net.

"We connected all the way from the back and then the shot was open," Diebold said about her clutch goal.

And the weather?

"You get warm when you give it your all," claimed Diebold, who wore soccer shorts like all the other players. "It was really windy, but the whole team kept up the pressure the whole game. We were able to keep attacking."
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]]>administrator@metrosportsreport.com (Metro Sports Report)Prairie HomeSat, 04 Feb 2017 12:35:32 +0000Confident Saints knock off Prairiehttp://www.metrosportsreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36344:confident-saints-knock-off-prairie&catid=211:prairie-home&Itemid=57
http://www.metrosportsreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36344:confident-saints-knock-off-prairie&catid=211:prairie-home&Itemid=57It took the Xavier Saints about two months to develop a new identity this season and get on a roll.

Now they hope it will carry them all the way to the Class 3A state tournament again.

The resurgent Saints marched to the foul line and topped Cedar Rapids Prairie, 60-56, in an intense Mississippi Valley Conference game at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

The Saints have a modest 7-9 overall record at this point in the season, but they've won three straight games and have looked good in back-to-back wins over Cedar Falls and Prairie.

"We weren't playing well at the start of the year. To get a couple of wins here is great for us," said Jackson Joens, a veteran of last year's state champions. "We're just hoping to make another run down to Des Moines."

Xavier won the spirited game at the foul line, outscoring the visitors 22-3 at the charity stripe. The Saints shot 19 free throws in the second half and Prairie did not shoot any, a stat that did not escape the attention of the Hawks.
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]]>administrator@metrosportsreport.com (Metro Sports Report)Prairie HomeSat, 07 Jan 2017 12:36:05 +0000Schmitt leads Prairie by Saintshttp://www.metrosportsreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36210:schmitt-leads-prairie-by-saints&catid=211:prairie-home&Itemid=57
http://www.metrosportsreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36210:schmitt-leads-prairie-by-saints&catid=211:prairie-home&Itemid=57The Cedar Rapids Prairie girls basketball team began its warmups for Friday night's game at Xavier with only eight players on the floor and with a 2-8 record.

At the other end of the floor, the Saints had a full complement of players with a flashy No. 7 ranking in the Class 4A poll and an impressive five-game winning streak.

Advantage Saints, right?

Not this time.

Sarah Schmitt was hot from the foul line and pumped in 22 points as the young Prairie Hawks upended the Saints, 52-45, in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

Prairie had two freshmen and two sophomores in the starting lineup, but the Hawks withstood a Xavier rally in the second half and were the more composed team at the end.

"Our kids played above what their grades may show," said Prairie Coach Josh Bentley. "They stayed together. And they executed and stayed disciplined."

Schmitt, a 5-foot-7 sophomore, swished 10 of 11 free throws for the Hawks, including six straight in the final 56 seconds to help Prairie notch the victory.
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